St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1887-01-10

intelligent and faithful officer. He has but
one Plumbing Inspector in his office. He
should have at least two, and probably
three. Plumbing Inspectors.
Buildings are being erected in all parts of
the city, many at the same time and at
long distances apart. 1t is a physical
impossibility for one Plumbing Inspector to
properly test and inspect one-third of the
plumbing done in the city,
Mr. Chenery, the Plumbing Inspector, is
a faithful and capable officer. and has the
confidence of his superior officer, the Build
ing Inspector.
RECOMMENDATIONS.
The Board believes that the Building In
spectors office is highly important one,
and that the Inspector should be aided and
fully sustained in his efforts to enforce
rigid compliance with the provisions OF the
law creating his department, and a strict
observance of the plumbing ordinance, and
that he should be authorized to employ one
OF more additional Plumbing Inspectors
whenever, in his Judgment. the wants of
his department and the public interest
demands it.
The Board would therefore respectfully
recommend to the Common Council that
the Building Inspector be authorized to en-
ploy such additional Plumbing Inspectors
as the proper and efficient enforcement of
the plumbing ordinance may, in his judg-
ment, require.
The Board would also recommend the
Building Inspector to suspend the license
OF any and every plumber who fails to
comply with the ordinance, and to notify
the Board without delay of his action.
Such action upon his part will be followed
by an immediate investigation by this
Board OF the charges made, and if suS-
tanned. the Board will intlict summary
punishment by revoking the license of such
person OF persons, if it has the power so
to do.
If the Board has not such power now
under the law Git has been seriously ques-
toned in this investigation), they would re-
Spectfully recommend to the Corporation
Attorney and to the committee of the toun-
Gil on Legislation the propriety and neces-
Slty OF procuring the necessary legislation
at the next session of the legislature.
This power Ito revoke license) should
be entrusted to some executive department
OF the city government. If the power to
grant license is conferred upon this
Board, it should also be invested with I'M
questioned authority to revoke it, for cause
shown.
The Board would also recommend that
the Building Inspector shall require each
licensed plumber to make him monthly
report. under oath, on the first day of each
month OF all work done or undertaken by
him during the month next preceding such
report, and that any failure by any licensed
plumber to make such report be reported
without delay to this Board. Such failure
to make the required report, if ineXcusa-
bic, will be sufficient cause for the revoca-
ton of license.
The Board would further recommend for
the better protection of the public, that in
order to insure strict enforcement of the
plumbing ordinance, every person who
shall erect building in which there shall
be any plumbing done. shall require-and
insist upon the eQuirement-his plumber to
procure permit and exhibit the same to
him before he shall be permitted to do any
work i'll such building; and shall also re-
Qulre that, before such plumbing is accepted
or paid for. the plumber shall procure and
exhibit to him the certificate of the Build
ing Inspector that the plumbing has been
tested and inspected and found to be done
in strict compliance with the provisions of
the ordinance.
Primarily the fault of noncompliance
with the provisions Of the ordinance lies
with the plumbers.
They know the law, and they are bound
to comply with it. A failure to do so
should be visited with certain and i'm
mediate punishment.
But the plumbers are not solely in fault
In many instances, it must be apparent
from the facts herein stated, that persons
who have employed plumbers have been
guilty! through carelesSnesS or indifference,
of aiding them in violating the law.
If these CuCupStiopc of va1ua
to the public, and by giving timely heed to
them, the public interest and welfare shall
be subserved,- this investigation will not
have been wholly in vain.
Mr.. Dunnigan being present, the Presi-
dent was directed to read the following re-
primand to him, to wit:
Mr.. Dunnigan. you have heard the find
ingS Of fact, and the decision of this Board
thereon, i'll the matter of the complaints of
Mr.. GuStave Heinemanp and Mr.. Robert
Seeger against you for violation Of the
plumbing ordinance.
II is the judgment of the Board of Public
Works that you be publicly reprimanded for
the offense of which you have been found
guilty. and the Board has instructed me to
discharge this unpleasant duty.
The Board have had no difficulty in de-
termining the question of your guilt; in
your answer. verified by your oath, you adj
mtted it. Neither has the Board expert
enced any difficulty in arriving at the con-
clusiOn that your offense was not committed
through inadvertence or oversight Your
offense, if not willful, must certainly have
been Intentional.
You cannot plead, and. in fact, you have
not pleaded ignorance of the ordinance
You are one of the oldest, as we'll as one of
the most intelligent and capable plumbers
in the city. You, therefore, cannot Justify
your repeated. and | may say persistent, if
not Wiilful, violation OF the ordinance by
reason of your YOUTH ineXperience or igno-
rance.
The fact is that you have seen fit in many
instances. utterly to ignore the existence Of
the plumbing ordinance, and to act in de-
fiance OF the orders and authority of the
Building Inspector. Such conduct is most
reprehenSible, and cannot and will not be
permitted to go unpublished.
This ordinance. with its wholesome and
Salutary provisions, was enacted for the
protection of the health and lives of your
fellow citizens for which your REPEATED acts
would seem to indicate you have had but
little care.
a strict compliance with the provisions
of this ordinance is believed by those who
have given years of study, experience and
investigation to the subjectof sanitation to
absolutely necessary for protection against
epidemic and malarial diseases.
Had you respected and oheyed the law
enacted to protect the lives and health of
your neighbors and friends, nay more, your
own life and health and that of your own
blood and kin, one of these compiainants, a
respected fellow citizen, would not to-day
be so overwhelmingly distressed by the agon-
izing doubt and uncertainty upon the
question of whether or not there is any